"Keeping The Night Watch"
By: Hope Anita Smith
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE FINDER:As you read, create a chart tracking the figurative language mentioned in the poetry and throughout the verse novel. A sample chart below has been created for you, but you are free to create a different graphic organizer or chart that suits your liking and still meets assignment expectations.
Directions: In the first column, identify examples of poetic word choices and phrases from “Parents and Teachers” through “Man-to-Man” in Part I of Keeping the Night Watch (“Fall”). In the second column, write what this image looks or feels like. In the third column, write why the author chose to describe the example as she did.
POETIC PHRASE:
VISUALIZATION
AUTHOR'S INTENT
FALL
Directions: In the first column, identify examples of poetic word choices and phrases from “Parents and Teachers” through “Man-to-Man” in Part I of Keeping the Night Watch (“Fall”). In the second column, write what this image looks or feels like. In the third column, write why the author chose to describe the example as she did.
POETIC PHRASE:
VISUALIZATION
AUTHOR'S INTENT
FALL
POETIC PHRASE:
1. "Only I know his words are plastic." (pg.4) 2. "They sugarcoat it." (pg.5) 3. "...her face radiating belief." (pg.7) 4. "But my questions are brick heavy." (pg.8) 5. "Byron hears the ball kiss the pavement." (pg.10) 6. "I walk around with my words drawn ready to fire." (pg.13) 7. "My crown falls from my head and her words cut each one a shard of glass." (pg.15) 8. "We're two different kinds of pots." (pg.16) 9. "He is the messenger who brings the news but don't open the door-the news can't be good." (pg.17) 10. "She has laid herself out in front of the door like a welcome mat." (pg.19) 11. "She wants to deal with the problem head-on." (pg.21) 12. "My eyes are dead. My words are cold." (pg.22) 13. "...my shoulders say "I don't know. Beats me" (pg.25) 14. "I'm as constant as the moon." (pg.26) 15. "...that my snowy mountain of anger." (pg.28) 16. "Byron says he's in the middle wedged between me and Zuri like a sandwich." (pg.31) 17. "I want to let go, but I can't I'm stuck." (pg.32) 18. "...I used every once of good penmanship." (pg.34) 19. "...one misplaced person can knock everything out of balance." (pg.36) 20. "Daddy pays no mind to my walls." (pg.37) |
AUTHOR'S INTENT
1. What I think the author meant by this is that when the dad talks his words are fake just like plastic. 2. What I think the author meant my this is instead of saying the truth about everything they basically were avoiding the truth. 3. What the author meant by this is that when she found a name for the dog she thinks she will name him stay. 4. What the author was saying hear in this poem and quote is that he had many questions to ask his dad but they were to much that the answers he might get from him might hurt him. 5. What the author meant was when Byron heard the ball bounce on the floor instead he used "kiss the pavement." 6. What I think the author meant by this was since he doesn't like his father he keeps his words inside but they are ready to fire at his dad. 7. What I think the author meant by this is that when his dad was gone he was in charge but no that he is back his dad took his place. 8. What the author meant by this was C.J. and Byron are two different kinds of mad but instead they are two different kinds of pots. 9. What the author was talking about was the dad in the story, C.J. was describing him as in a bad way. 10. What the author was talking about he was when C.J. finds his sister on the front door she is there because she doesn't want her dad to leave again. 11. What I think the author meant by thins was the teacher wanted to basically talk about why there are no doors on the houses with Zuri's mom. 12. What the author meant was C.J. is so mad at his dad that it made him disappear. 13. What the author was saying here is that instead of them talking they were using sign language to talk. 14. What i think the author was saying here is that just because their dad left doesnt mean he didnt love them or care for them and that he was there just that they couldnt see him. 15. What the author meant was since he was angry at his dad his anger was building up. 16. I think what teh author was saying this because C.J. is the oldest Byron is in the middle, and Zuri is the smallest. 17. What teh author was saying here is that when he tried to stop being angry with his father he couldnt because he didnt like that he left and came back like nothing happened. 18. What i think the author meant was that when C.J's grandmomma tried to make family not be arguing with each other it didnt work. 19. What teh author meant here was when she tried to put everything nice and good it was always ruined by someone or something. 20. What the author meant was when C.J's dad was talking to him he was ignoring him but his dad pretended like there were no ignorance in between. |
SPRING
1. "Her voice is like a fairys magic wand." (pg.43)
2. "...and his words are rock hard." (pg.44) 3. "My words walk with a sure step." (pg.46) 4. "My feet couldn't move. My pride wouldn't let them." (pg.48) 5. "You are whipped, man---without a belt." (pg.51) 6. "...of bored junior jocks looking for new prey upon." (pg.52) 7. "Her words are skinny-dipping in the Lake of Conversation." (pg.54) 8. "...glances at her and store them in my head." (pg.57) 9. "I am God making mountains os shaving cream in the palms of my hands." (pg.58) 10. "My eyes nearly popped out of my head." (pg.61) 11. "I have learned to walk on little cat feet around my house." (pg.63) 12. "Grandmomma sits sagelike, Holding the letter to her chest, Imitating the Virgin Mary, as if Baby were Jesus." (pg.67) 13. "He wants to be our sun rising." (pg.69) 14. "When the Quake hit it hard, shook us to our core." (pg.70) 15. He shut his eyes and lets the tornado of sound catch him in its whirlwind." (pg.72) |
1. What i think the author meant by this was that her voice was like the voice of an angel.
2. What i think the author meant by this is that the preachers words were as hard as a rock. 3. What the author meant by this was when he tried to talk to Maya he couldnt cause he didnt have anything to say. 4. What i think the author meant by this is that even if he wanted to ask his dad something he couldnt cause he was still mad. 5. What i think the author meant by this was that he was to much into Maya and all that he forgot about his friend. 6. What i think the author meant by this was that when he saw Maya sitting alone i think he was focusing on her and to sit next to her. 7. What the author meant by this was that Maya's words were naked while she talked. 8. What the author meant by this was that when he looked at Maya he always kept her in his head. 9. What the author meant by this was that he was shaving for the first time. 10. What the author meant by this was that when he saw the "lingerie" his eyes were amazed of what preacher showed him. 11. What the author meant by this was that he learned to walk around his house quietly. 12. What the author meant by this was that grandmomma was holding the letter life if it were baby jesus. 13. What the author meant by this was that C.J.'s dad wanted to be the sun shining and rising above the family. 14. What the author was describing the earthquake to was when C.J's dad left them. 15. What the author meant by this was that when the family was dancing he let go of his anger and just let loose like a "whirlwind." |